Austin, TX
Shocking map shows Austin, Texas’ homelessness explosion with 10K living in camps
AUSTIN, Texas — Liberal policies have led to a shocking explosion in homeless camps across the state capital, with around 10,000 people living in 168 different areas that have popped up across the city, sources tell The Post.
The illegal camps have been visited and mapped by local filmmaker Jaime Hammonds and show how out of control Austin’s homeless crisis has become.
His map reveals the clandestine encampments have spread to a far greater extent than many taxpaying residents had previously realized — dotting the entire city, including near popular tourist destinations like Zilker Metropolitan Park.
Often hidden from public view in wooded areas, the encampments, banned by voter mandate, have become hotbeds for illegal activity and been the site of two deaths since April.
Hammonds warns that an even bigger public safety threat could be looming as the sites remain largely unregulated by the Democratic city’s leadership.
“A big fire is going to take place, and it’s going to burn up a lot of people. It’s going to happen,” Hammonds predicted.
“I’ve been warning the city about this for over a year.”
In the year and a half that Hammonds has been documenting the camps, he claims to have regularly witnessed people with mental health and drug issues use unsupervised fires for warmth and cooking.
“We have fires in these camps every year, but thank the Lord the fire department has been able to put them out very quickly,” he added.
The homeless sites are often nestled in wooded areas, surrounded by oak trees.
“It gets really hot and really dry in the summer,” the filmmaker explained. “These folks build fires, and these greenbelts, when it gets dry, it’s like a match waiting to go off.
It’s going to happen … [somewhere like] the Williamson Creek Greenbelt. There’s one way into it and one way out.”
After Hammonds recently exposed a 300-person camp in South Austin, drawing national media attention, the city representatives for that area who had previously ignored complaints about the homeless finally visited the site.
“With evidence of campfires for cooking or warmth, wildfire protection was a critical priority,” Austin Mayor Pro Tem Paige Ellis told Fox News.
But even after that, the city gave the homeless the option of leaving the camp, only taking those who volunteered to go to a shelter and allowing the rest to stay.
Austin residents have flooded the police department with thousands of calls about how the homeless are starting fires or illegally camping on public trails, according to local station KXAN.
“I’m terrified about it,” a pregnant Krissy Curtis told the outlet. “They’re just choosing to be illegally out here, and they’re choosing to make it dangerous for everyone that’s trying to use the trail.”
But most feel their pleas for help fall on deaf ears.
Another resident shared a photo of a homeless tent on the side of a busy road with an air conditioning unit illegally hooked up to a streetlight by a power cord stretching across the road.
“That camp has been there for six weeks despite local and state law prohibiting this,” said a disgruntled Texan who asked to remain anonymous. “Austin voters successfully made public camping illegal on May 1, 2021, yet Austin officials refuse to enforce the law.”
The city of Austin claims police do enforce the camping ban.
“When possible, the least intrusive and lowest level of force that achieves voluntary compliance has been a preferred method,” city spokeswoman Jenny LaCoste-Caputo told The Post.
“This generally looks like progressive enforcement in practice [going from] verbal warning to citation to custody arrest.”
However, violating the camping ban is only a class C misdemeanor, which means the greatest level of enforcement permissible is usually a citation, the city added.
The blue city did not address how its own woke policies have exacerbated the homeless problem. With a shortage of nearly 400 officers, only emergency calls that involve life-threatening actions get patched through to 911.
All other calls, including most complaints about homelessness, are sent to Austin’s non-emergency 311 line.
During the pandemic, the previous mayor, Steve Adler, allowed the homeless to pitch tents in downtown Austin in the city’s most visited areas, like Sixth Street and Cesar Chavez Street.
Adler infamously told residents to quarantine during COVID-19, but then went on a Mexican vacation himself.
His administration also defunded the Austin Police Department in 2020 — slashing its budget by a third — only to refund it a year later, under state pressure.
Anti-cop sentiment in Austin has created a public safety crisis, where cops have quit or retired in droves, forcing detectives to pause solving cases in order to patrol the city’s streets.
Current Mayor Kirk Watson, who took office in January, declined to be interviewed and instead teased that there would be a “major announcement” on homelessness coming soon.
Known as the most liberal part of the Texas, the local government takes pains to refer to those living on the streets as “people experiencing homelessness,” and also offers free health care to the unhoused, a county constable who works with the homeless told The Post.
“They know they’re going to get good services and get help; I think that’s a draw [for people to come here] as well,” said Constable David McAngus. “Once they get a MAP card, they can go to the doctor, go to the hospital, dental health, they can get eyewear.
Central Health, the company that runs the health program, did not respond to The Post’s query as to whether Narcan was one of the medications provided to the homeless.
Narcan is used to save the lives of people who have overdosed on opioids and is effective against deadly fentanyl, which has been responsible for an increase in overdoses across the country in recent years.
“Just to illustrate how bad it is in these camps, you just walk in and there are many full Narcan bottles and needles everywhere,” Hammonds explained.
He claims meth is the most used drug, and McAngus added about 98% of those living in camps battle substance abuse.
“When they go to the shelters, they can’t smoke, they can’t drink, they can’t do drugs. They’re back out on the streets within 24 to 48 hours,” Hammonds stated.
In order to feed their drug addiction, many practice “boosting,” he added.
“The main way they make money, they call it boosting — shoplifting, stealing,” Hammonds explained. “They go out at night into the surrounding neighborhoods. They steal lawn equipment. They steal power tools, anything that is of value, and they go to the pawnshops the next day. That’s how they make their money, by boosting.”
Children can sometimes be found living in these conditions, as Hammonds finds toys, diapers and even cribs in the woods.
An engineer, Hammonds started documenting Austin’s homeless when he saw something that stopped him in his tracks. While out driving one day in 2021, he saw children emerge from a homeless camp.
“I saw a bunch of children coming out of woods, about 7 and 8 years old,” he recalled. “You would see there was a homeless camp. There was probably four or five of them, so I took out my phone and started videoing.”
The children’s faces haunted him, as his own children were the same age, prompting him to document the city’s homeless crisis on his Twitter profile.
Wednesday night, Hammonds and his team found 10- and 14-year-old siblings, bundled up at a bus stop with their parents. They had been on the streets for four weeks.
Hammond and his team got them food and a hotel room for the night, while the family was placed on a wait list with thousands of others trying to get a spot in one of the city’s bursting-at-the-seams shelters.
“You have people who have been waiting for years to get a bed,” McAngus said.
“Where are they going to go? It’s not illegal to be homeless in the state of Texas.”
Austinites, new and old, often hear that the city is no longer the live music capital of the world, but that claim should be taken with a grain of salt. There are plenty of spots in ATX to hear free live music that’s good — as long as you know where to look.
The Capital City was first dubbed the “Live Music Capital of the World” in August 1991. According to Visit Austin, the title was justified by the number of music venues per capita in the city. ATXToday reports there are over 250 venues in Austin where live music is played, proving there’s no shortage of spots offering live entertainment.
However, not every venue allows residents and visitors to Austin to enjoy quality live music without some sort of cover charge. This is when it pays to know the Capital City like the back of your hand.
9 places in Austin to see free live music
While there are countless bars, coffee shops, restaurants and music venues in Austin offering free live music, not all of it passes as “good.”
What’s the point of hitting up a cover-free spot if the live entertainment is soul-crushingly bad?
Below are nine spots to see quality live music in Austin for free.
Reminder: If you’re enjoying free live music somewhere, show the artists some support! Most have tip jars and/or signs with their Venmo username near the stage.
Banger’s Sausage House and Beer Garden
Pros: Spacious beer garden with indoor and outdoor seating, covered outdoor stage for live entertainment, a stellar sound system that funnels live music inside (even in the bathrooms) quality local acts that get guests on their feet during Sunday brunch and beyond, attentive service and an expansive food and drink menu.
Address: 79 Rainey St., Austin, Texas.
Hours: 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Monday-Thursday; 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. Friday-Saturday; 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. Sunday.
View Banger’s live music calendar here.
Mama Dearest
Pros: Backwoods-themed bar with eclectic and borderline eerie decor, decent sound system for listening to live music, indoor-outdoor seating, food truck, all of the vibes. Misting fans on outdoor patio in the summer, heaters in winter.
Address: 515 Pedernales St., Austin, Texas.
Hours: 4 p.m. to 2 a.m. Monday-Friday; noon to 2 a.m. Saturday-Sunday.
Mama Dearest often will share its live music offerings on Instagram. Check the bar’s IG here.
Austin Beer Garden and Brewing Co.
Pros: Free live music on Wednesdays, Fridays and Saturdays, delicious pizza and sandwiches, various drink options (beer, wine, seltzer and more!), dog-friendly, children welcome.
Address: 1305 W. Oltorf St., Austin, Texas.
Hours: Closed Monday; 11:30 a.m. to 11 p.m. Tuesday-Friday; noon to midnight Saturday; noon to 10 p.m. Sunday.
View ABGB’s live music calendar here.
The Elephant Room
Pros: Centrally located venue offering live jazz music nightly, no cover charge on Sunday, Monday or before 8 p.m. Tuesday through Friday, intimate setting, attentive service.
Address: 315 Congress Ave., Austin, Texas.
Hours: 5 p.m. to 2 a.m. Monday-Friday; 8 p.m. to 2 a.m. Saturday; 7 p.m. to 1 a.m. Sunday.
View the live music calendar here.
Armadillo Den
Pros: Spacious, casual friendly service, free live music, good sound system, numerous food trucks on-site. Kids are welcome until 6 p.m. Monday-Friday. Otherwise, the Armadillo Den is for those ages 21 and older.
Address: 10106 Menchaca Road, Austin, Texas.
Hours: 4 p.m. to midnight Monday-Wednesday; noon to 12:30 a.m. Thursday; noon to 2 a.m. Friday; 11 a.m. to 2 a.m. Saturday; noon to midnight Sunday.
View Armadillo Den’s live entertainment calendar here.
Jester King Brewery
Pros: Live music on weekends at a brewery that doubles as a ranch where goats not only live but also thrive alongside their trusted canine companion. Jester King also has delicious bites and funky beers to choose from, forts for kids to climb on and ample space.
Address: 13187 Fitzhugh Road, Austin, Texas.
Hours: 2 p.m. to 8 p.m. Monday-Thursday; 2 p.m. to 9 p.m. Friday; 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Saturday; 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. Sunday.
Browse Jester King’s live music calendar here.
Blind Pig Pub
Pros: Live music every day of the week in the heart of Dirty Sixth, indoor and outdoor stages, open-air rooftop patio. For a chiller experience on weekends, visit the Blind Pig before 9 p.m.
Address: 317 E. Sixth St., Austin, Texas.
Hours: 7 p.m. to 2 a.m. Monday-Tuesday; 2 p.m. to 2 a.m. Wednesday-Friday; 1 p.m. to 2 a.m. Saturday; 2 p.m. to 2 a.m. Sunday.
Austin Garden & Studio at Inn Cahoots
Pros: The Garden at Austin Garden & Studio often hosts live music on the outdoor stage. Musical genres vary, but the sound quality is superb. There also is a food truck on-site and yard games to play.
Address: 1209 E. Sixth St., Austin, Texas.
Hours: Doors open at 4 p.m. Monday-Friday and 2 p.m. Saturday-Sunday.
Browse the December 2024 schedule here, and view the 2025 schedule here.
Whiskey Tango Foxtrot Icehouse
Pros: Located in the heart of West Sixth where bars and restaurants are plentiful, Whiskey Tango Foxtrot offers stellar sound quality, a covered bar and stage for chilly or rainy nights, strong drinks, fast service and more.
Address: 701 W. Sixth St., Austin, Texas.
Hours: 4 p.m. to 2 a.m. Monday-Friday; 2 p.m. to 2 a.m. Saturday, noon to 2 a.m. Sunday.
Check Whiskey Tango Foxtrot’s Facebook and Instagram pages for up-to-date information on live music offerings.
AUSTIN, Texas – Now that the Christmas holiday is over, many must be wondering what to do with their trees.
Below is information on where and how you can recycle your holiday tree.
City of Austin
The city of Austin has two options for recycling your Christmas tree: curbside collection or drop-off.
City curbside customers can recycle their trees starting on Thursday, Dec. 26. Residents should set out their trees by 5:30 a.m. on their composting collection day.
All Austinites can drop off their trees, wreaths and garlands for recycling at Zilker Park, even if they are not Austin Resource Recovery customers.
What to know:
Only natural trees will be accepted for recycling; However, trees sprayed with flocking or artificial snow will not be accepted.
Residents should remove all ornaments, decorations, tinsel, lights and tree stands. Wreaths and garlands should be removed from wire frames.
When recycling, do not place trees in bags. If recycling through curbside, all trees six feet or taller should be cut in half.
Drop off times:
If you choose to drop off your tree at Zilker Park, drop off is available between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. on the following:
- Saturday, Dec. 28
- Saturday, Jan. 4
- Sunday, Jan. 5
For more information on City of Austin tree recycling, click here.
Travis County
Travis County residents can drop off their holiday trees for free at four locations across the county from Thursday, Dec. 26 through Friday, Jan. 10.
Drop-off locations:
- West Service Center: 4501 FM 620, Austin, TX 78732
- Del Valle Adult Softball Complex: 3614 FM 973, Del Valle, TX 78617
- 1431 Collection Station: 2625 Woodall Dr, Leander, TX 78613
- East Service Center: 6011 Blue Bluff Austin, TX 78724
Only natural trees will be accepted. Residents must remove all ornaments, decorations, lights, tree stands, nails, staples and metal. Trees sprayed with flocking or artificial snow will not be accepted.
Residents should not place their tree in a “tree bag” or any plastic bag and trees taller than six feet must be cut in half.
Anyone looking to recycle holiday lights can drop them off at the Recycle and Reuse Drop-off Center located at 2514 Business Center Dr. Residents can also drop off holiday packaging there, including Styrofoam and cardboard.
Williamson County
County residents can dispose of their holiday trees for free at the Williamson County Landfill in Hutto from Thursday, Dec. 26 to Saturday, Jan. 4.
Residents must remove all lights and ornaments before taking their tree to the landfill. Flocked trees will not be accepted.
Holiday hours for recycling:
- Thursday, Dec. 26 and Friday, Dec. 27: 5 a.m. to 5 p.m.
- Saturday, Dec. 28: 6 a.m. to 3 p.m.
- Monday, Dec. 30 and Tuesday, Dec. 31: 5 a.m. to 5 p.m.
- Wednesday, Jan 1: Closed
- Thursday, Jan. 2 and Friday, Jan. 3: 5 a.m. to 5 p.m.
- Saturday, Jan. 4: 6 a.m. to 3 p.m.
For more information, residents can call 512-759-8881.
The Source: Information in this report comes from Travis County, the city of Austin and Williamson County.
A recent immigration surge brought newcomers to every state this year, helping to offset a continued drop in U.S. births while contributing to a national upswing of about 3.3 million new residents, according to new U.S. Census Bureau estimates.
Texas and Florida continued to dominate state population growth, together adding more than 1 million people from mid-2023 to mid-2024 and making up almost a third of the nation’s population increase. The state numbers include births, deaths, immigrants and residents moving from other states.
Nationally, this year’s population growth was up from the 2.8 million increase in 2023 and the 1.9 million boost in 2022, according to state population estimates released Thursday.
The population jump — the largest single-year increase since 2001 — was buoyed by a 21% increase in net immigration.
Immigration has become a more significant factor in population changes, making up all or almost all the growth for 18 states in every part of the country this year, according to an analysis of the data by William Frey, a demographer for the Brookings Institution, a left-leaning think tank.
“This points up the importance of immigration, not just to a couple of big states but to a broad swath of our country,” Frey said. “It’s going to be very welcome in a lot of places that would not be gaining many people or [would be] losing people because of lower fertility and higher deaths.”
Immigration grew in every state, ranging from an increase of about 69,000 people in Florida and California and 57,000 in Texas, down to a few hundred in Montana and Wyoming. The growth in the immigrant population ranged from 19% in Alaska to 36% in Montana.
California and Illinois were among states that had lost residents earlier in the decade, and their growth over the past year could help both stem expected losses in congressional representation after the next nationwide census in 2030.
If the growth continues, it would trim California’s loss to three seats in the U.S. House of Representatives instead of four, and Illinois could lose one seat instead of two, said Kimball Brace, a Virginia-based redistricting expert.
Florida, where growth has slowed slightly, could gain one fewer congressional seat than predicted — three instead of four, he said.
“Clearly immigration is coming into play — a couple years ago you had people talking about California going off the deep end [with population loss] and now it doesn’t look so deep,” said Brace, president of political consulting firm Election Data Services Inc.
California ranked third in the number of new residents from July 1, 2023, to July 1, 2024, according to census estimates, with a gain of about 233,000, thanks to both immigration and people moving in from other states. The Golden State was followed by North Carolina (165,000) and New York (130,000). Illinois grew by about 68,000 and Louisiana by about 9,700.
Florida and Texas also were the leaders in percentage change, growing about 2% in that year, followed by Utah (1.8%), South Carolina and Nevada (both up 1.7%), and Idaho and North Carolina (both up 1.5%).
Only three states had population losses for the year, of a few hundred people each: West Virginia, Vermont and Mississippi.
In Texas, the cities of Houston, Austin and Dallas added the most new housing last year — almost 40,000 new units among them — and are likely to be the centers of new population growth, according to a state report in November. Collin County, a Dallas suburb, is also one of the state’s fastest growing areas, with more than 16,000 new housing units added last year and almost 64,000 since 2020, according to the report.
Florida’s recent growth was concentrated in Jacksonville, Port St. Lucie, Miami, Tampa and Orlando, according to a state report this year.
A surplus of births over deaths helped most in New York, California, Pennsylvania, Ohio and Michigan.
New York City has built more housing, which helped stem net losses from people moving away, said Jan Vink, a senior extension associate at Cornell University’s Program on Applied Demographics.
That’s encouraging news for the state’s future, Vink said. In November, the university estimated that New York’s population could shrink by as much as 2 million people over the next 25 years because of low fertility rates and aging, unless those losses are offset by new arrivals in the form of immigration or people moving from other states.
Texas, the Carolinas, Florida and Tennessee had the largest numbers of new residents moving in from other states, though the numbers were down in all those states from the previous year as high interest rates and housing prices led more people to postpone moves.
Stateline, a States Newsroom affiliate, produced this report.
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